Preparedness work in Ogun is expanding after Nigeria confirmed a Bundibugyo Ebola infection in Abuja on Oct. 20, even as the state said its tally remained at zero through Oct. 21.
Ogun State Health Commissioner Dr. Tomi Coker said in a statement carried by Premium Times that 111 passengers from high-risk countries had completed the required monitoring period and were released from follow-up. She gave no dates for the monitoring and did not connect the passengers to the Abuja patient, making the figure separate from federal contact tracing.
Coker said Ogun’s Public Health Emergency Operations Centre was coordinating preparations. She said the state had trained Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers, port health officers and clinicians, and was reinforcing infection control in health facilities. Coker also said Ogun had recorded no Ebola cases as of Oct. 21.
The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare confirmed the Abuja infection and said it had identified 44 close contacts for tracing and monitoring by Oct. 20. The patient was in isolation and receiving care.
The World Health Organization identified the infection as Bundibugyo Ebola. Symptoms may appear two to 21 days after exposure, and people are usually not infectious before symptoms begin. Transmission occurs through direct contact with infected bodily fluids or contaminated materials.
WHO has advised against general travel or trade restrictions on affected countries. The Democratic Republic of the Congo formally declared the outbreak on May 15. Africa CDC has scheduled a virtual meeting of African health ministers for Wednesday, Oct. 28.
